ENGLEWOOD, N.J.—Dwight Morrow High School and the Academies @ Englewood held their graduation ceremony on June 20 amidst an assembly of proud teachers and families.
The rain necessitated that the ceremony be held indoors in the Dizzy Gillespie auditorium instead of the usual outdoor venue, but the atmosphere was one of pride and accomplishment.
The procession of graduates began at 4 p.m., as 216 young men and women marched down the aisles and onto the stage. They were greeted by Principal Billie Bowie and special guests at the podium that included Mayor Michael Wildes, Superintendent of Schools Robert Kravitz and keynote speaker Carolyn Marano, New Jersey assistant commissioner of education responsible for the division of student services.
Marano’s speech was uplifting and her approach unique, as she turned to face the students and addressed her remarks directly to them.
“I have three pieces of advice: number one, this world can be a dangerous place, but you are surrounded by people who love and care about you. At some point you may lose your way. When that happens, be sure that you have someone to talk to, even if you don’t like to hear what that person has to say because that person is going to keep it real,” she said. “Number two, roll with the punches, even if it rains on your graduation day. Keep your balance when you are dealing with the uncertain. And number three, find your passion. If you want to be a writer, write every day. If you want to be a weight lifter, lift weights. Embrace whatever it is that makes you feel special. If you don’t know how to get into that, Google it. Vote and also control your own narrative and beware of Twitter and social media. What you put out there on Facebook and Snapchat will not necessarily disappear.”
Superintendent Kravitz also gave brief remarks, congratulating the graduates and encouraging them to have a strong moral compass and to strive to be successful at whatever they do. You can do anything, he told them—just work hard.
“As you leave here today, think: what do you want to be remembered as? This is not an easy question, but I’d like to give you a quote by Winston Churchill: ‘Success is never final, failure is never fatal—it is the courage to continue,’” Kravitz said.
Principal Bowie then introduced Mayor Wildes. In his usual eloquent style, Wildes said, “High school graduation is truly a great milestone. As your mayor, it is an honor to share it with you and your proud families. Everyone assembled here today, your families, your teachers, the school administrators and of course, you as students, own a piece of the accomplishments we honor here today. Every one of you is now empowered with a great education that will serve as a strong foundation for you in life.
“I ask you to look out at the community gathered here. They are proud, as they should be,” said Wildes. “I ask you to continue to make them proud, through sustained excellence in academics, productivity in your careers and as pillars of society.”
Extrapolating on “pillars of society,” Wildes assured them, “There is no greater good that you can do with your education and your life than serving others. This summer, I urge you to explore what you can do in service to the community with your hearts and minds as well as your hands. There are many individuals whose lives you can profoundly change.”
Wildes concluded by advising that life is about lessons learned not only in school, but beyond.
“My greatest lesson about public service came from one of the greatest educators of our time, Dr. Martin Luther King, a man who lived and eventually died for his beliefs in service to others. His words were, ‘Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’
“Your community needs you, so put part of your education toward bettering your community. The rewards are infinite for everyone you touch, but most of all for yourself,” Wildes said.
Inspiring speeches filled with touches of humor were given by Valedictorian of the Academies@Englewood, Grace Lee, and Valedictorian of Dwight Morrow High School, Alan Armstrong.
The graduates then walked in procession to the podium where each received his/her diploma and warm handshakes from the dignitaries on the dais.
Brimming with newly acquired words of wisdom, the graduates moved outside to the school’s grounds where they were met by families and friends holding a plethora of balloons and bouquets. It was a beautiful end to another DMHS graduation and the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of 216 young adults.
